Saturday - Batang Krayola Day

Saturday is the day we focus on the kids ministry of the Youth Mobilization (YM) team known to all of us as the Batang Krayola.  For this particular day, we would like to share with you the Christmas party we held for the BK Day Care Center.  Be blessed.

Last Dec 15, 2010, the kids from our Day Care Center came very early.  Everyone was excited and everyone wore their best.  The reason behind all the excitement is because that day is the Day Care Center’s Christmas Party.  Together with their moms, we went to Jolibee. To make the celebration even better, we celebrated Jessie Godes 4^th Birthday, one of the Day Care kids. Jessie or “Jet-jet” is one of our youngest students.  He attends the Day Care together with his older brother Adrian.

All the kids really enjoyed the party and to their surprise, while the games are going on, the Jollibee mascot came and danced with the kids. The laughter and the shouts of joy show how much the kids enjoyed each moment of the party at Jolibee. We ended the party by giving gifts to each of the Day Care student.  14 kids and their mothers went home that day so blessed and full of joy.

Friday - Training Day

Yesterday, the whole staff, board of trustees, and ministry leaders of Jesus King of Kings Community Church went to Rizal Re-Creation Center for an overnight planning retreat.  All of us were hoping that there will be WiFi at the retreat center, just like the many previous times we were there, but the opposite was true.  For some reason, we can detect the WiFi signal but we couldn't connect to the Internet.  Anyway, that's the reason why there was no post yesterday.  Supposed to be, Friday is when you will be able to read about the Training Department of the Youth Mobilization (YM) team.  So as the saying goes, it is better late than never.

For the year 2011, the Training Department faces a big challenge.  Just like the past three years, YM was able to train more than 100 youth leaders in 2010.  An estimated 140 youth and youth leaders underwent the Overnight Modular Training (OMT) which focuses on youth ministry organization, leadership and missions.  A total of 22 churches participated last year.

But as we looked further, we found out that of the 140 youth, only 70 participated in actual ministry outreach, whether through YM's Touch Trips in Tiaong and Cambodia, or BK's DVBS in Kanawan Tribe (Morong, Bataan)  and IT Tender's Drop-in Center.  It is a measly 50 percent.  The rate is even lower when we tried to track down how many of those youth went back to their church either to pursue ministry to the poor or as someone on fire to serve and lead.

So for the year 2011, the whole YM team agreed, of course with the Training Department on the forefront, to really pursue the vision we received many years ago.  That is not just to train youth and youth leaders, but also to bring those youth to missions and to make sure that they return to their churches, on fire and ready to serve their church and community.  In doing so, we are truly empowering churches to reach the poor.

It is indeed a big challenge, but everyone is excited.  Just imagine if we can really mobilize all of those youth we are training.  Not only that we can bless the street children and their poor families, but churches as well will be able to fulfill its call to bring the Gospel and reach out to the poor.

(The pictures above were taken last August 13-14, 2010 during the Overnight Modular Training (OMT) held in Dagupan City, Pangasinan)

IT Tender Ministry - Sponsor A Child Program

CHILD SPONSORSHIP is your opportunity to transform communities and to impact the children in reaching their God-given potentials.

It only takes $0.70 a day or $20 a month to help transform a child and his community!

Each sponsor is connected to a child or children and their families. Your pledges of $20 a month or about P900 pesos will help make the child’s community a healthier and happier place, not only for the sponsor child and other children in the community, but for future generations as well. Your regular donations will be utilized together with our IT Tender resources to benefit the children, their families, leaders and churches through:

• Access to education and provision of school supplies

• Good health and nutrition

• Values formation, spiritual development, and child advocacy

• Skills and leadership training

For more details on how to be part of this ministry, email Pastor John Basiwa, IT Tender Ministry Leader @ johngella_promise@yahoo.com.ph.

SPONSOR A CHILD NOW!

Meet the YM Team

It's been said that it is all about God and not about us.  All of us couldn't agree more.  But that doesn't mean we don't appreciate the work and sacrifices offered by God's servant.  It's so true with the Youth Mobilization Team.  The team believes that it is all about God working in and through our lives so that His purpose will be accomplished.  At the same time, the team believes that God uses vessels that are willing and available.  Vessels, like the YM team, that we should also appreciate and encourage.  So, every Wednesday, we will be featuring one member of the Youth Mobilization Team as our way of recognizing one's effort in building the Kingdom of God and also our way to show appreciation and encouragement to the YM team.

(Note: The caricature above was made by Kristofer Purificacion last June 2010.  So much has changed in the last few months in terms of the members of the team.  Some have gone and new members are added to the team. Also, Kristofer is the YM's ministry leader for the Batang Krayola - Street Children Ministry)

Focus on YM's Partner Church - Jesus King of Kings Community Church

The Lord gave Jesus King of Kings Community Church (JKKCC), one of YM's partner churches, a beautiful end-of-the-year gift.  After existing for nearly three years, last December 21, JK's SEC application was approved.  A week later, SEC released the Certificate of Registration.  What a good ending indeed.  Now for the new year, JK is excited to announce its target, a fitting beginning after a good ending to a wonderful year.  To sum it up, the church's theme for the year is, "For the good of the community!"  The church is seeking to do three things that will lead to the transformation and improvement in the lives of the people.  They are: (1) Win families to Christ; (2) Make disciples of Christ; and (3) Build Christ-centered communities.

Continue to pray for them as they meet this coming January 7 and 8 for an overnight planning retreat.  It will be a time to seek the Lord, hear His heart out and translate the theme into a workable plan, and the plan into a dynamic action.  It will also be a time to be refreshed, for fellowship and recreation.

Word for this Sunday - Matthew 14:28-31 - WOW in 2011 (Walk On Water in 2011)

WOW in 2011 (Walk on Water in 2011) - Matthew 14:28-31

Three things we can learn from Peter who walked on water two thousand years ago.  Three things we can also apply to our lives this year as we WOW in 2011! 

1. God’s will – Peter asked for God’s will and waited for God’s answer.

v. 28 - “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

v. 29 - “Come,” he said.

Be Sensitive – This year, waiting on God and knowing Him intimately should be one’s priority.

2. Total Obedience – Peter got out of the boat without thinking twice

v. 29b - Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 

Be Surrendered – Learn to fully obey the Lord no matter what situation you will be in this year

3. Focus on Jesus – Peter looked at the wind and the wave, that’s why he begun to sink.

v. 30 - But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

 v. 31 - Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” 

Be a Surfer (The wind and the wave are there for your advantage) – As you continue to fix your eyes on Jesus, use the challenges and obstacles this year to reach greater heights.

FROM THE TEAM LEADER'S HEART - Changes and Decisions

Sometimes I wish that I had a dagger that I can use to bring me back to certain points in my life especially during those times that I had to make a difficult decision - most especially when I made a wrong decision.  Or maybe I am still experiencing the after shock effect of “The Prince of Persia”, the movie me and my wife watched just before the start of the new school year for our kids.  The truth is, I am really wishing for that dagger, simply because we are facing a lot of difficult decisions right now. 

The year 2010 came and is still coming with so many changes both in our personal lives and ministry.  Changes that we anticipated and changes that surprised us both brought tears, joy, frustrations and excitement to our lives.  Big or small, whether we wanted it or not, still those changes affected us in so many ways.  Changes like my father's passing away unexpectedly; team members returning to their own country for good; my sister's plan to get married; new leadership in our church partners; soon, I'll have a teen-ager in the house; our house and the YM office's expiring rental contracts, etc.

Should we transfer to a new location?  Where will my daughter get his secondary education?  Can we still handle the ministry that we have lesser workers than before?  Who should I put in-charge of our major ministries?

Honestly, I am just afraid - afraid to make a bad decision.  The “what ifs” clog my mind. 

What if the owner did not renew contract with us and we couldn't find a new house to rent, where will we live?  What if the person I tapped as the new ministry leader was not really capable?  What if the new project we just started was not part of God's direction for our team?
  
I just want to do it perfectly.

Then the Lord reminded me of the verse He gave me for the New Year.  Genesis 12:1-3.  That was when God called Abraham (he was still known as Abram that time) to leave his country and go to a land that God will show him.  How difficult that change and that decision must be for Abraham.  But the Bible didn't mention of any dagger in Abraham's possession.  Actually he did (the one he wanted to use when God asked Abraham to offer Isaac to Him), but he never got to use it because he had something way better than any daggers.  That is his faith with His God.

I realized that I don't have to go back to my past to correct my mistakes.  I just have to trust in God who called me for His purpose.  Yes, I will make mistakes (and I need to learn from them), but God assures me that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28 NIV).  He will also show me His direction as I seek Him and follow Him in faith, just like when Abraham obeyed Him and left his country - He showed Abraham where to go as he went.

I will never be able to do it perfectly.

I will make mistakes along the way.  Many times I will fall flat on my face just like what I have experienced many times in the past.  The good news is God will always be there.  He promised to be with us until the end of the age.  He will never leave us nor forsake us.  God corrects and rebukes us, but He also encourages and strengthens us so we can continue with the journey He has called us to undertake.

Changes and decisions will always be a part of our lives, but with God leading the way what else do we need.  What are we afraid of?  Truly, the Apostle Paul was perfectly right when he said, “If God is for us, who can be against us?  No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”
(Romans 8:31, 37 NIV)